Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-09-19

OF a mystery. Two or three theories were
in circulation last night as to the cause of
the blaze, but az yet little is known def
nitely, and it will require an extended in
vestigation, probably, to ascertain the
facts.
The La Belle Company, and the town in
which its plant is situated, have the earnest
sympathy of all on this side of the river,
and it is to be sincerely hoped that both
may recover from the present calamity
now hanging over them.
-
THE FIRE.
Five Acres of Solid Blaze Over In Bridge
port.
About half-past 3 o'clock last night a
bright blaze lighted mp the west fronts of
buildings in this city, and turned Wheel
ing hill into a mirror, against whose bright
face all dark objects became plainly WISH
BILE. 1t was at first thought 10 be some
building on the Island, but a closer in
spection sho wed it to be farther away, aid
revealed the stacks of the La Belle Glass
Works and the Bridgeport hill, in brilliant
clouds Of flames.
The Wheeling fire department seems TO
have been the first TO become aware Of IFS
existence, and a few minutes after its dis
covery the Sixth ward hose reel and Silsby
engine came laundering up Market street
on their way to the scene, the authorities OF
Bridgeport having sent a telephone mess
age for assistance as soon as the fire broke
ont. In less than a quarter of an hour the
streets and alleys leading to the river,
Water street, the Suspension Bridge and
the west side of the Island We're thronged
with spectators, gazing at the grand,
though sad, spectacle of thousands OF dol
lars worth of property being consumed.
AT THE SCENE.
The scene of the fire was most animated,
and besides the hundreds who were en-
gagged in the effort to save property, the
railroad tracks of the G.. x L. and the c.,
l.. & w. on each side of the burning build
ings we're lined for nearly half a mile with
on-lookers, all deeply interested IN the
grandeur Of the scene.
The fire originated in the southeast cor
ner of the factory proper, under the floor,
and i'm a few minutes had extended along
the east side of the floor and roof, and in
an almost incredibly short time the entire
factory building was a mass Of flames AID
the fire was licking its pointed tongues up
the sides of the mixing room on the west
and the mould and cutting shops on the
south. The whole place burned like tin
der. and before any part had fallen in the
entire establishment was one brilliantly,
grand mass of flames, from which the sparks
shot hundreds of feet into the air, while
the intense heat set fire TO the ends OF rail
road ties and trees as far as a hundred
wards away. The factory proper did not
make such a bright blaze, 1t being only a
shell of brick walls and covered with a tin
roof. The building containing the cutting
and mould shops and the cullet room and
office made an immense ~coniagratlon,
burning with an intensity which made any
reasonable approach impossible. While
this was going on fully 4 hundred men and
hoys were at work rolling barrels OF glass
ont of the warehouses and piling 1t, none
too tenderly, on the roads and IN the cars
on the G.. l.. Il w. tracks. Hundreds OF
barrels filled with the finest ware, in eX-
~pensiye colors, platings and engrayiDg5,
were rolled promiscuOusly over the river
bank
INTO THE WATER.
When the Ere was at its height, the
mixing room filled with soda-ash, and
nitrate Of soda, sand, arsenic and other
materials used in the manufacture OF
glass, caught fire, and made = most heanti-
full and exceptionally intense blaze,
which excelled many of hand attempts at
pyrotechnics. In the upper end OF the
room was stored IA whole car load OF nitrate
Of soda, and when the shell
of the building burned away,
the whole mass tumbled into
q nond used in an old brickyard. This
nond was partially filled with water, and az
ost as the sacks il which the material was
hacked became saturated, they exploded
with the noise of a caunon One ut a time,
the sacks became dampened, and In rapid
succession sent clouds of brick and mud
high into the air, with showers OF Darrell
slaves and hoops. The noise sounded like
heavy ~cannonadiDg, and was the subject OF
muc6 endowment 10 the assembled multi
tude. This fire did not last long, how
ever. and attention was soon dawn to the
warehouse and stables on the south side,
which were then getting well under
wav. These buildings being filled with
highly combustible materials, such as straw
and barrels, made a very bright, fast
burning fire. Altogether, the confagra-
ton was one of the grandest as well as
one of the most thoroughly destructive
which has occurred in this vicinity for
wears. At one time there was 1T least five
acres of solid blazing, seething fire, which
united high into the air, and making a
light which was seer twenty miles down
the river, and which inspired the OnlooE-
ers with awe, at its granduer.
A TOTAL WRECK.
The entire concern is a wreck, the flames
having licked the ground clean, leaving
nothing but the tall stacks and founda-
tipns. The company was in a most pros
porous condition, and the factory was
about to be put on in ITS full capacity.
The ware was being shipped almost as fast
as made, there being but a small stock IN
the warehouses. The loss is complete ex'
cept the furnaces and stacks, the wall:
even crumbling and falling under the In
tense heat. The larger Of the two furnace:
had Just been filled with glass and it wa: